| YOUTH TRANSITIONS GRANT |
| | November 8, 2006
C4 HELPS TROUBLED TEENS TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD WITH $100,000 GRANT
Chicago, IL - Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to launch a comprehensive behavioral health and life skills program that helps troubled teens transition to adulthood.
Targeted to youth 16-18, the program will reach a population whose needs often fall through the cracks of the mental health delivery system, according to C4 Regional Director Viviana Ploper.
“We’ve long recognized the service gap for programs assisting these older adolescents or young adults,” explained Ploper, who said the program will reach an estimated 36 to 45 youth from two at risk populations: young adults with severe emotional problems and youth transitioning back to the community from the corrections system.
One of five Illinois community mental health agencies tapped to receive the $100,000 grant, the Chicago-based agency is part of the state’s planned service network to reach older adolescents at risk for dropping out of school or returning to the correctional system.
“We are very excited about the opportunity to enhance programming and provide needed mental health services to the community,” observed Dr. Tanya R. Anderson, deputy clinical director of child and adolescent services for the IDHS Division of Mental Health.
C4’s youth transition services are based on a service model developed by Dr. Hewitt B. Clark of the University of South Florida, whose “Transition to Independence Process” (TIP) is evidence-supported, shown to improve graduation and employment rates. The TIP model reflects a holistic approach, incorporating not only mental health treatment, but community services to help young adults make choices about employment, relationships and housing. For young adults returning to their communities after incarceration, the hurdles are especially challenging.
“Often the school will not accept a returning student who has spent time in jail,” explains C4 Special Services Director Chris Carroll. “We can help families and students resolve that issue.” A committee that included three consumers ages 16 to 18 helped design the transition program over the last twelve months.
Last year,C4 was selected by IDHS to launch a pilot program for 21 youth on parole from the Illinois Youth Center at St. Charles.
“We’re excited that C4 will be able to pilot a project than can become a model for the entire State of Illinois,” said Ploper.
Every year,C4’s behavioral health, substance abuse treatment, family services and programs for survivors of sexual violence reach more than 7,000 men and women and children. About 500 are youth ages 16 to 18.
For more information on C4’s youth transitions services, please contact Viviana Ploper at 773 765-0820. Additional information about C4 services is available at www.c4chicago.org.
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